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I have to confess, I am an idealist. As such, I've had this dream for years that one day my business will be so finely tuned that each day's activities are derived from my goals and processes. In essence, long-term goals break down to short-term goals which break down to daily activities, and so on. In reality, it takes a tremendous amount of discipline to create this "finely tuned" machine.

At this time, I'd like to share a project that I've recently started, which is a step in the right direction. Although it's not unique, it is important. I call it the activity matrix. Using the three systems of an advisory business as broad categories, the top row of the matrix are the months of the year (Jan. to Dec.) and the first column lists the business systems and the tasks that fall under each system. You would simply place an "X" in the cell of the month that each task needs to be completed.

Each task should move you closer to your goals, and as you inch closer, you may need to refine your matrix. You may also find that some tasks are too ambitious while others need to be accelerated. To get started, try listing any and every possible task you or your staff will ever do. Next, categorize each task according to the business system it falls under. Then determine who will perform each task. Finally, place each task in your CRM software with the appropriate reminders. Here's an example. Let's say marketing, "Task #1," is a monthly lunch meeting with a COI (center of influence). You might delegate the scheduling to an assistant who would contact those names on the list you provide.

There may be some tasks that occur more frequently than monthly. For example, you might decide to reach out to five prospective clients each week. In this case, the matrix might have a task under marketing that says, "Contact prospective clients." Then, you would enter this task in your CRM software to occur multiple times each week.

I hope you have found something of value for your business. Thanks for reading and have a great week!